Karaoke: a Tool for Promoting Reading Abha Gupta Old Dominion University, [email protected]
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Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications Teaching & Learning 2006 Karaoke: A Tool for Promoting Reading Abha Gupta Old Dominion University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_fac_pubs Part of the Educational Methods Commons Repository Citation Gupta, Abha, "Karaoke: A Tool for Promoting Reading" (2006). Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications. 2. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_fac_pubs/2 Original Publication Citation Gupta, A. (2006). Karaoke: A Tool for Promoting Reading. Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, 6(2), 80-89. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Teaching & Learning at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 80 The Reading Matrix Vol. 6, No. 2, September 2006 KARAOKE: A TOOL FOR PROMOTING READING Abha Gupta [email protected] Abstract ________________ This article is a description of a teaching strategy that we have experimented with promising results as a motivational tool. The strategy uses Karaoke as a tool to build and enhance reading behaviors such as fluency and motivation as a twofold purpose for struggling readers. An audio and video sample of children engaged in reading and singing using Karaoke is enclosed. Some modified Karaoke instructional approaches are mentioned for a whole group / classroom use. _______________ Introduction Five-year old Kindergartner, Eesha comes home from the bus-stop and talks excitedly about Britney Spears as her favorite singer and starts to sing, “Oops, I did it again!” She had heard about the singer in the school bus where apparently, most kids were into “Britney Spears”. When she started Kindergarten, in less than a month, her repertoire of singers and songs had increased dramatically adding to her knowledgebase of the mainstream American culture. Well, not wanting to miss any opportunity to expand her interest further, we searched for ways to nurture this seed of music in her. A quick search on the internet, brought to attention an outstanding Karaoke website that has been wonderful in developing not only music skills but more important, reading skills and fluency further among not only kindergartners but also older students. This is a parenting site at BBC website that has nursery rhymes for preschoolers http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/parents/activities/karaoke/index.shtml . Karaoke* refers to action of singing to a musical background while reading the related lyrics. *(Karaoke originated in Japan. The word comes from ‘kara’, empty and ‘oke’, orchestra. In this form of singing, the music tracks for specific songs are provided by the media, be it CD, computer or tapes, the vocals or the voice is provided by the individual playing karaoke. Most Karaoke systems require the singer to use a microphone, however, with online karaoke, one can sing along without the microphone. The history of Karaoke resources are available at the following websites: http://nj.essortment.com/historyofkar_rezh.htm ) There is a growing body of evidence that arts instruction can significantly strengthen students’ academic performance (Gardiner, M. et.al.1996 ; Robitaille, J. & O’Neil, S. 1981). Studies such as these show that the inclusion of music and the arts in reading program results in a dramatic rise in reading test scores. Hansen and Bernstrof 81 (2002) discuss the positive impact of music on reading achievement. Butzlaff (2000) conducted meta-analysis studies investigating reading achievement and music, and found a relationship between the two. Lamb and Gregory (1993) found a high correlation between children's ability to read and ability to discriminate pitches accurately. One must be cautious of establishing causal relationship between the two, as more research is needed. Music enhances students’ creativity by activating visual images and thoughts. Many teachers recognize that “the melodic and rhythmical features of language are a valuable means of creative thinking” (Piazza, 1999, p. 63; see also Gardner, 1983; Jackendoff, 1995; Lerdah, 1996). Gipe (2002, p. 370) discusses linking literacy lessons with music and how music can be infused into every teaching session. According to Gipe (2002, p. 371), “Music also provides opportunities for students who experience difficulty with reading and writing to think and learn through another language that is repetitive, melodious, and emotional.” The use of music in the classroom can make the entire learning process more enjoyable and can stimulate "right" brain learning. The revised standards for reading professionals by IRA (2003, Standard 4) include student’s interests, using technology based non-print materials and motivating learners to create a literate environment. The joint delivery of music and text provides an exciting, immersive experience for the child. Text comes alive with the addition of background music and synchronized voice. Children can either sing along with their favorite singers as words flash by on screen, or turn off the Karaoke vocals and assume the identity of their hero for a short while. In my experience with struggling readers demonstrating little confidence and poor decoding skills, it is less threatening to them if an adult voice reads / sings along. In particular if the reader is not sure of the lyrics / words. However, some struggling readers ask to be the solo singer and have the lead singer sound turned off. The availability of this option to turn on or off the lead voice makes this tool reader-friendly. Linked here is a video file ( ) containing a sample of two students, Eesha, age 6 and Maya, 8 years old using Karaoke. First time when we attempted integrating the use of karaoke in our reading clinic with Kenneth, a third grader, and a reluctant, disenchanted reader with a very negative attitude towards reading, the results were promising. This was the first session when we found him engaged in a literacy activity where he showed great interest. He never indicated any interest in music, but when asked if he wanted to pick one of the four singers, he selected a favorite song. He had the knowledge of the entire song lyrics and read along beautifully, synchronizing with the highlighted text on the screen and pausing at appropriate places. He didn’t want to leave the session unlike where he had always asked the tutor what time it was (waiting for the session to get over). Children may or may not indicate interest in music if asked specifically. However, given an opportunity, they can display impressive reading behaviors using unique tools to pique their interest. Engaged reading is strongly associated with reading achievement (Campbell, Voelkl, & Donahue, (1997). Their study found that the more highly engaged readers showed higher achievement than those who were less engaged in reading. Increasing motivation leads to 82 more reading (Guthrie, Wigfield et al., 1999). More reading leads to better readers, as in the Matthew effect, in which the high achievers improve more rapidly than low achievers over time in school (Stanovich 1986). Motivation is the link between frequent reading and reading achievement. Similar websites or resources can be easily integrated into the reading curriculum at any grade level, both to motivate the students and to further enhance their reading skills. Labbo (2004) reports that when children read a computer screen they encounter dynamic digital constructs and genres. Online Karaoke resources typically require a streaming audio player such as RealPlayer (by Real Networks), which (in its basic version) is available as a free downloaded over the internet ( http://www.real.com/ ). Alternatively, just the streaming audio files for Karaoke music can also be located. Some schools may not allow access to live streaming files, as they are filtered out if they relate to ‘entertainment’ links. Readers must be warned about copyright infringement. Linked here is a video file ( ) containing a sample of two students, Eesha, age 6 and Maya, 8 years old using Karaoke. A note of caution when using websites, teachers / adults must make sure that the site contains songs / lyrics that are appropriate for children. Modified Karaoke Instructional Techniques Choral Karaoke : Most schools have data-projectors that can be hooked up to the computers with internet access in the classroom, with monitor screen projected on the wall / screen. The words can be displayed on the screen as students sing along. It is like Choral Reading with words displayed on the screen. In the clinic, a first grader who was reading at pre-primer level, had difficulty keeping up with the pace of the displayed text. She didn’t know the entire rhymes and just hummed wherever she skipped the text. For her, a lead singer was helpful since she echoed the lines after the singer, much like a Neurological Impress Method (where the adult reads along first and the child trails behind reading aloud the same text). For a reader like the first grader, it is recommended reviewing the words first on paper before attempting karaoke reading. Silent Karaoke : Music can be turned off if a small group of children engages in using computer-based Karaoke within the back of the classroom or students could use headphones. The students can read along the flashing text. Note, some children find the silence threatening in a one-on-one situation, particularly when they are not familiar with words. They are less likely to take risk to sing along without a lead singer when the lyrics are unfamiliar. Previewing of karaoke text is recommended. Repeated Reading Karaoke : Distributed scripted hard copies of the songs to the readers. Have students review and practice reading the lyrics prior to using Karaoke. Sometimes phrases in the monitor display move at a faster pace with no control on pacing. Thus, having a hard copy and prior reading the text helps students familiarize themselves with the songs.